Washing machine



3 9 19375 L. A. JAMES 2,8,2

WASHING MACHINE Filed April 1., 1935 2 sneets sne t 1 ENVENTQR Lewis A Jar/W5 July 6 1%? L. A. JAMES 2,86,2$

WASHING MACHINE Filed April 1, 1955 2 Sheet-Sheet 2 Lewis A.

i 1 r I Patented July 6, 19 37 WASHING MACHINE Lewis A. James. Independence, Kans.

Application April 1, 1935, Serial No. 14,025

" 13 Claims.

This invention relates to washing machines and has for its principal objects to provide a simple, inexpensive agitator and tub construction designed to wash and thoroughly cleanse such 5 articles as dishes, clothes, fabrics and other simllar materials; to provide improved agitation of the washing liquid wherein the slushing action thereof acts directly upon the articles bei washed without subjecting them to the rigorous action of the impeller or agitator mechanism;

to provide for adjustment of the supporting legs of the tub;' to provide an improved mechanism for operating the agitator either manually or by the power of a prime mover; and in the instance 15 of washing dishes or other frangible articles to provide the tub with a removable supporting tray.

In accomplishing these and other objectsot the invention, as hereinafter pointed out, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a washing machine embodying the features of the present in- 05 vention, parts of which are broken away to better illustrate the construction thereof.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the machine on the line 2-2, Fig. 3.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section through the machine on the line 3-3, Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section similar to Fig. 2 but showing the tray and lid of the tub removed to better illustrate the agitator and its operating mechanism. v

35 Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through one end of the tub, particularly illustrating the agitator operating mechanism. r

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 8-6, Fig. 4,

illustrating the method of attaching the legs to 40 the tub.

Fig- 7 is a detail perspective View of the agitator and its operating lever.

Fig. 8 is an end view of a modified form of washing machine equipped with a mechanical drive operable by a suitable prime mover.

Fig. 9 is a detail section of a portion of a modifled form of tub employing a wringer support. Referring more in detail to the drawings:

i designates a washing machine constructed 5 in accordance with the present invention and which includes a tub 2 having vertical side walls 3-4 interconnected by a substantially semicylindrical bottom 5, and having end walls 6-? connected to the vertlcal portions of the side 55 walls, the end walls being provided with semicircular lower portions 8 connected .with the rounded bottom byflanged seams 9, as best illustrated in Fig. 6. 4

The side walls 3-4 are flanged outwardly as at Ill and Hand then upwardly at 12 and I3 to provide horizontal ledges 14 to support a. tray l5, later described, and to form oiiset vertical ilanges l6 and l! for retaining the cover 18,

later described. The upper edges of the end walls flanges l5 and I1 and the upper edges or the.

end walls 6-7 is closed by the removable cover I8 that is shaped to conform to the opening, and

has depending flanges 24-25 on the side andend edges thereof telescoping within the side flanges and end walls of the tub to rest upon the ledges M as best shown in Fig. 2. To aid in application and removal of the cover it is provided with a suitable handle 26.

The tub thus described is supported from the ends thereof by pairs of legs 21-28 and 29-36 that are secured to the end walls of the tub by plates 3| having lateral flanges 32 terminating in downwardly extending lips 33 to extend over the. upper ends of the legs as best illustrated in 1 Figs. 1 and 2, the upper ends of the legs being attached to the plate and tub by fastening'devices, such as bolts 34 extending through the'leg plates and end walls of the tub. The legs'are also attached to the tub by U-shaped clips 35 having ends 36 engaging in the seams 9 that connect the end walls of the tub wlththe bottom 5 and which haveinwardly extending foot portions 31 engaging the inner faces of the legsas shown in Fig. 6. The clips are retained in clamping position with the legs and with the seam of the tub by bolts 38 having shanks 39 extend-. ing through openings 40 in the clips and through aligning openings 4| in the legs, the heads 42 of the bolts being retained against the clips by nuts 43 threaded on the shanks of the bolts and engaging the outer facesof the legs.

Mounted within the tub is an agitator 44 including a fiat bar or paddle 45 extending longitudinally of the tub and having its ends rigidly connected with hangers 46 and 41. The hangers 46 and 4'! comprise plates of substantial width and of sufllclent length to ,mount the bar 45 for swinging oscillatory movement over the bottom of the tub, the upper ends of the hangers being pivoted in the axis of the bottom of, the tub on studs 48 including bearing portions 49 extending through openings 50 in .the ends thereof, and having heads 5i engaging the inner face of the arms. The opposite, ends of the bearing portions terminate in reduced shanks 52 to form shoulders 53 to engage against the inner face of the tub when I the shanks are projected through openings 54 formed in the axis of the semi-circular bottom.

In order to freely mount the hangers for swinging movement over the end Walls of the tub, the bearing portions of the studs carry washers 55 for spacing the hangers from the end wall of the tub.

When the studs are in place in the openings. they are secured by nuts 56 threaded on the projecting ends thereof and engage washers 51 whichcomounting the agitator arm 46 in an opening 62 formed in the end wall of the tub. The stud is clampingly retained in the opening by means of a shoulder 63 formedthereon to engage the inner face of the wall and a washer 64 retained in engagement with the outer face of the wall by a nut 65. The roller 60 is mounted on the bearing portion 66 of the studand has a recess 61 in the face thereof for countersinking the head 60 of the stud. The outer face of the head 68 of the stud thus lies in the'plane of the roller face so that it does not interfere with sliding movement of the actuating lever thereover, as now described.

The actuating lever includes a substantially channel-shaped guide portion 69 comprising spaced side flanges I0 and II connected by a web 12. The outer edges of theflanges l0 and II are bent inwardly to form lips I3 and '14 to engage the inner face of the roller 60 that operates between the side fianges I0 and II Fixed to the web I2 of the guide channel and depending from its lower end is a plate I5 of greater width than the channel to provide lateral- 15'? extending wings or guards l6 and TI which tend to prevent the garments or articles being washed from catching between the operating lever and its fulcrum roller.

The upper end of the guide section terminates in a handle portion I8 projecting from the top of the tub so that the lever may be conveniently rocked on the fulcrum roller 60.

In order to accommodate the lever, the inwardly extending flange 2| on that end of the tub is cut away as at I9, and the cover I8 is pro,- vided with an aligning notch through which the operating portion of the lever extends, as best illustrated in Fig. 1. The lower end of the plate 75 is provided with asuitable opening ill to pivotally connect with a stud 32 carried by the hanger 45 of the agitator at a point substantial- 13 above the agitating bar 35. 7

reverse oscillation of the agitator upon its pivots 55, as shown by the dotted lines in Fig. 4. Due

- low clearance for the agitator. tions of the end plates are connected by side walls to the off-center relation of the pivotal connections 5I+82 of the agitator and the fulcrum roller 60, the lever iscaused to slide or reciprocate upon the fulcrum as the agitator approaches its upper limits of travel. This is an important feature of the present invention, because it allows for full 180 movement of the agitator with a lesser angle of movement of the rocker arm.

Upon oscillation ofthe agitator across the bottom of the tub, the washing liquid is caused to 'moveahead of the paddle bar and to fall back thereover towardthe opposite wall of the tub in wave-like formation, and upon reverse movement of the paddle the washing. liquid is impelled in reverse directiontoproduce a back and forth swishing action. of the liquidacross the articles being was In order to wash dishes and other frangible objects in the machine, I provide a tray 83 having end plates 84 and 85 of suitable width to slide freely between the side walls 34,- and having semi-circular depending portions 86 and 81 of smaller radius than the bottom of the tub to al- The upper por- 88 and 89 extending upwardly from the horizontal diameter of the semi-circular portions to the ledge portions I4, where the walls are flanged laterally, as at 90 and BI, to suspendingly support the tray within the tub. The semi-circular portions of the end plates are connected by an arouate partition 92 forming an arcuate agitating chamber 93 in which the agitator oscillates. The upper edges 94 and 95 of the partition terminate in the horizontal plane of the lower edges of the side plates toform elongated openings 96 and 91 therebetween, through which the water is impelled under the oscillating force of the agitatorto fall back upon the dishes contained in the tray. The semi-cylindrical bottom of the tray is provided with a series of openings 98 to allow return of the washing liquid to the agitating chamber.

In Fig. 8 is shown a modification of the invention wherein the agitator is operated by a suitable prime mover (not shown) through a mechanical drive connection with the rocker arm. In this construction, the channel-shaped portion of the rocker arm projects above the tub a suflicient disof the legs supporting the tub and is operated bya belt I08 driven by a suitable prime mover such as a motor, not shown.

It is thus apparent that when the pulley is rotated by the belt, the pitman I04 oscillates the lever I03 to rock the agitator lever as previously described. Upon oscillation of the lever I03 the roller I00 reciprocates within the channel-shaped portion of the lever during sliding movement of the rocker arm upon its fulc'rumyf I In the event that awringer isato be attached to the tub a substantially rectangular shaped trough IIO can be formed in one end of the tub and equippedwith a suitable backing IiI for attaching a wringer, -not shown; v v

v In operating a washing machine constructed and-assembled as described, and assuming that the tray is'in position within the tub, the articles to be washed, such as dishes, are inserted in the tray and a suitable' amount of wash liquid is poured in the tub. Then upon oscillation of the rock lever 58 the agitator is caused to oscillate back and forth within the arcuate chamber in the manner of a piston to alternately propel the wash liquid from the openings 96-9! to produce a back and forth swishingaction of the liquid across the articles contained in the tray. As the wash liquid is being propelled at one side of the paddle a suction is produced at the opposite side to enhance'the effectiveness of the agitation.

During oscillation of the agitator, the rock lever pivots and simultaneously slides upon the fulcrum roller whenthe agitator approaches the upper limits of its movement, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 4, so that the rock lever iscaused to move through a shorter arc than the agitator. As above pointed out, this is an important feature in the present invention, as it provides vfor full movement of the agitator and at the same time allows for maximum height of the side. walls of the tub. p p

When the washer is to be used for washing clothes or similar articles, the tray can be' removed and the clothes placed directly within the tub. Then upon operation of the agitator the swishing action of the water tends to retain the clothes from direct contact therewith, so that they are not subjected to the rigorous action thereof that might cause undue wear of the fab rics.

From theforegoing it is apparent that I have provided a washing machine which is of simple, inexpensive construction and is readily adapted for eflicient washing of such articles as dishes, clothes, fabrics, and. other similar materials.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: e

1. A washing machine including a tub having a substantially semi-cylindrical bottom, a tray in the tub having a similarly shaped bottom spaced from the bottom and sides of the tub to form an arcuate agitating chamber open at the ends, an agitator in the chamber, means swingingly mounting the agitator for oscillatory movement across said chamber to impel wash liquid from said chamber through the open ends thereof to alternately move in opposite directions across articles contained in said tray, an oscillatory lever'pivotally connected with said mounting means for the agitator and having a lesser degree of movement than the agitator, and means for mounting the oscillatory lever on the tub to compensate for said difference in movement.

2. A washing machine including a tub having a substantially semi-cylindrical bottom, a tray in the tub having a similarly shaped bottom spaced from the bottom and sides of the tub to form an arcuate agitating chamber open at the ends, an agitator in the chamber, means swingingly mounting the agitator for oscillatory movement across said chamber to impel wash liquid from said chamber through the open ends thereof to alternately move in opposite directions across articles contained in said tray, actuating means for the agitator including a fulcrum carried by the tub, a lever pivot-ally and slidably mounted on the fulcrum, and means pivotally connecting the lever with the agitator.

3. A washing machine including a tub having a substantially semi-cylindrical bottom, a tray in the tub having a similarly shaped bottom spaced from the bottom and sides of thetub to form an arcuate agitating chamber open at the ends, an agitator in the chamber including ablade,

hangers connected with the blade and pivotally mounted'in the'axis of said cylindrical bottom of the tub to suspend said blade for oscillatory movement in said chamber, a lever pivotally connected with one of said hangers, and means for slidingly fulcruming the lever on said tub, whereby 'operation of the lever oscillates said blade to cause the wash liquid to gush from said chamber back. and forth over articles contained in said tray. f

4. A washing machine including a tub having a substantially semi-cylindrical bottom, an agitator' in the tub, means swingingly. mounting the agitator for oscillatory movement across said bottom to impel wash liquid in opposite directions over'articles contained in said tub, a rocker arm pivotally. connected with the agitator, means slidingly and pivotally mounting the rocker arm on the tub, a second lever pivoted on the tub and having pivotal sliding connection with the rocker arm, and motor actuated means for actuating the second lever. 1 I

5. A washing machine including a'tub having a substantially semi-cylindrical bottom,a tray in the tub having a similarly shaped bottom spaced from the bottom and sides of the. tub to form an arcuate agitating chamber open at the ends, an agitator in the chamber including a blade, hangers connected with the blade and pivotally mounted in the axis of curvature of'said cylindrical bottom of the tub to suspend said blade for oscillatory movement in said chamber, a rock lever pivotally connected with-one of said hangers and having a channel-shaped guide, and a roller. fixed to the tub at a point above said hangers and operable in said guide for slidingly fulcruming the lever on said tub, whereby operation of the lever oscillates said blade to cause the wash liquid to gush from said chamber back and forth over articles contained in said tray.

6. A washing machine including a tub having a, substantially semi-cylindrical bottom, an agitater in the tub, means swingingly mounting the agitator for oscillatory movement across said bottom to impel wash liquid in opposite directions over articles contained in said tub, a rock lever pivotally connected with the agitator, means slidingly and pivotaiiy mounting the rock lever on the tub, and motor actuated means connected with said rock lever for efiecting actuation of the agitator;

7. A washing machine including 'a' tub having a bottom of substantially semi-circular cross section, hangers having pivotal mounting in the axis or said bottom, an agitating member connecting the free ends of said hangers, a rock lever, means pivotally and slidably mounting the rock lever at a point above said pivotal mounting of one of the hangers, and means pivotally connecting saidhanger with said lever at a point between said pivotal mounting and the agitating member.

8. A washing machine including a tub having a bottom oi substantially semi-circular cross sec tion, an'agitator, means swingingly mounting the agitator for oscillatory movement over said bottom through an angle of substantially 180, a lever pivotally connected with the agitator, means pivotally and slidably mounting the lever on said tub, and motoractuated means connected with said lever for effecting actuation of the agitator.

9. A washer including a tub, an agitator and hanger arms pivotally mounted in the tub for end projecting into the tub and pivotally connected with one of said hanger arms at a point between the pivotal mounting 01 said arm and the agitator, and means for pivotally and slidably mounting the lever on the tub.

, 10. In a washer including a tub having spaced end walls, an agitator member, hanger arms connected with the agitator member, means swingingly mounting the arms on said end walls of the tub, a lever having its lower end projecting into the tub and pivotally connected with one of said hanger arms at a point below said mounting means, spaced flanges on a side of the lever facing the adjacent endwall and forming a guide track, and a roller carried by said wall and engageable in the guide track for pivotally and slidably mounting the lever.

11. In a washer including a tub having spaced end walls, an agitator member, hanger arms connected with the agitator member, means swingingly mounting the arms on said end walls of the tub, a' lever having its lower end projecting into of the lever to prevent clothes from catching between said hanger arm and the lever.

12. In a washer, an agitator and actuating mechanism therefor comprising, in combination, an elongated agitator,'support members for the agitator, means pivotally supporting the support members near the ends thereof, said agitator being secured to the support members near the other ends thereof, an actuating lever pivotally connected to one 01' the support members intermediate the ends of the support member, and means pivotally supporting the actuating lever eccentric to the means pivotally supporting the support members and the pivotal connection between the support. member and actuating lever, said actuating lever being longitudinally movable with respect to the' -mea'ns that pivotally supports it.

13. In a washer including a tub having spaced end walls, an agitator member, hanger arms connected with the agitator member, means swingingly mounting the arms on said end walls of the tub, a lever having its lower end projecting into the tub and pivotally connected with one of said hanger arms at a point below said mounting means, spaced members on a side of the lever facing the adjacent end wall and forming a guide track, and a member carried by saidwall and engageable in the guide track for pivotally and slidably mounting the lever.

mwrs A. JAMES. 

